Of course as we are all aware nothing at the moment compares with the horror that has been Turkey and Syria.
My old friend Sirdan now lives in Masterton.
Sirdan rang yesterday morning.
Sirdan just rang from Masterton NZ. He’s OK but the quake was loud! No damage. They are still a bit wet over there but not as bad as other parts of NZ. Masterton is in a rain shadow and somewhat sheltered.
I am now gathering Cronulla High pics from my time teaching there in 1965 as a student teacher and 1966-69 on the English and History staff. This one is much later. I revisited the school in 2011 for its 50th. Here I am sitting in a class room where I once taught.
Me in 1968 — and I don’t remember this being taken!
As a teacher at Cronulla High. Photo by a student at the time, Marilyn Markham.
Cronulla High Class of 1968. Taught so many of them including for the HSC in 68.
One of these likely lads is Colin Glendinning whom I met again at that reunion at Hazelhurst in 2011! A much loved GP!
The Bren gun is real and WW2 vintage. Cadets. I used to find it mildly disturbing particularly in one interesting 4F class I had when they leant their 303 rifles against their desks. Of course the bolts were removed….
The lad with the grenades is I believe Paul Weirick of that Class of 1968.
Paul Kelly (class of 68 Cronulla High and former Deputy Surveyor General of New South Wales, among other distinctions) collected me at Sutherland Station…
Joining us were Alan Andrews, from the Maths Department at Cronulla in the 60s and also an ongoing Rugby League person of some note. Two other former students also came – Colin Glendinning, a medical doctor, and Paul Weirick, a retired engineer. Paul Kelly brought some interesting photos and he and others also had some great anecdotes, some of them things I had forgotten. I walked back to Gymea Station afterwards, not having walked through Gymea for over 40 years!
Hazelhurst, where that reunion took place
Sometime in 67-68 I was quite ill, actually. I recall saying to one class that if I fell off my chair to just carry me to the staff room! I was in fact suffering from malnutrition, having had hepatitis in 1964 and staying too long on a low fat diet. Some Vitamin B shots eventually fixed me, after one doctor had starved me further by mistakenly thinking I had a gluten allergy. I sure was thin at one point there. The photo below must have been post-Vitamin B.
The Class of 1969 were also memorable, especially for debating, which I coached.
Good times and good people. Nice staff to work with too: Jack Morrison, Ken Palmer, Doug Goldstone, Paul Herlinger, Laurie Butterfield, Phyllis Wheeler, Geoff Borny, Debbie Townsend, Beth Kimball from Modesto, California, and who will ever forget Christine Fisher-Webster….
My youth led to one embarrassing moment when the Head of Science came out of his staff room and told me to quieten down. I was not wearing my jacket so he mistook me in my white shirt in a group of students also in white shirts for a pupil.
Me in 1968 — and I don’t remember this being taken!
Then just the other day someone commented on a post in the group Cronulla High School re-connect. Back in December 2022 a member posted:
Notice that CHS students are in trouble due to school uniform regulations.
Takes me back to 1966 when a group of us ( Leaving Certificate Repeaters!) came into conflict with school executive when we wore shorts and long socks rather then the regulation long grey trousers . Yes, we won that one!!
I decided to play:
Eric Pidgeon cautioned me about wearing shorts around that time on the grounds he got through WW2 without wearing them and further that my knees might excite the girls too much. I am not joking. Oh I forgot to mention; I was an English teacher at the time. Before long shorts came into favour especially with Maths teachers if I remember correctly.
Just a day ago came this:
I remember you in your shorts you were a sight to behold (just kidding) you were my English teacher I think 68-69. I was probably sent out of the class more times than I was in, but you were fairly tolerant with me. i was a bit of a troubled kid..
I replied:
I do remember you Chris! Bundeena? Great to hear from you!
And I do! Bundeena indeed! He was part of a very large family there, and it is great to see he has prospered — though hardly because of my efforts! If I sent him out so often it is because at that stage of my career I really did not know what to do with kids like Chris! Well, here we both are 55 years later and he seems like a nice guy!
Now Cronulla 10 years or so on from that — and it still resonates.
But at that time chances are I was in Glebe! You may have noticed my old post about Alexandra Road Glebe in 1977 has been popular lately. If you go to the About Page here you will find a lovely comment which appeared yesterday.
Hi Neil. We just read your fascinating post about Alexandra Rd. We now live in your old house. (That’s our old blue Corolla parked in front of it in your photo). You are welcome to drop by for a cuppa if you would like to see the old place. best Joyce & Conrad
I probably won’t at my age but what a sweet person! Now a last look ar Cronulla High:
1968-ers, not 1969! Paul Kelly (class of 68 Cronulla High and former Deputy Surveyor General of New South Wales, among other distinctions) collected me at Sutherland Station and took me to this place in Gymea.
Joining us were Alan Andrews, from the Maths Department at Cronulla in the 60s and also an ongoing Rugby League person of some note. Two other former students also came – Colin Glendinning, a medical doctor, and Paul Weirick, a retired engineer.
Paul Kelly brought some interesting photos and he and others also had some great anecdotes, some of them things I had forgotten.
I walked back to Gymea Station afterwards, not having walked through Gymea for over 40 years!
Then changed at Sutherland for Wollongong. It was a rather warm afternoon.
#Strongwomen. "I write about the power of trying, because I want to be okay with failing. I write about generosity because I battle selfishness. I write about joy because I know sorrow. I write about faith because I almost lost mine, and I know what it is to be broken and in need of redemption. I write about gratitude because I am thankful - for all of it." Kristin Armstrong
All abandoned: Chernobyl / Pripyat, Nara Dreamland, Anti-Zombie Fortress, Japanese Sex Museum - and many, many more! Plus: North Korea Special - 2 trips, 16 days / 14 nights! As seen on CNN...
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